Healesville Showgrounds Dog Off Leash Area

The Healesville Showgrounds dog off-leash area is a large, flat run in the south-west corner of the showgrounds on Don Road, with plenty of open grass for a dog that needs to stretch out properly. The defining feature is space, but because this is a working recreation reserve, the boundaries matter as much as the room to run.

The dog setup

Off-leash is permitted in the designated area only. Under Yarra Ranges Council local laws you must carry a leash at all times, keep your dog under effective voice or hand control, and pick up immediately. Dogs are prohibited from active sports ovals and must stay 20 metres clear of fixed playground equipment, and they stay on-lead in car parks and on approach paths. The horse event areas and netball courts are no-go zones entirely.

A dog water tap sits near the netball pavilion, with some natural shade though much of the area is open. A gravel path runs through part of the zone, and a roughly 1.6km loop track circles the reserve and lake if you want to add distance.

Worth knowing

The ground turns boggy through winter and spring, so a towel for the car is a good habit. Check the reserve's event calendar before driving out: horse shows and footy on the adjacent ovals can swallow the parking and bring noise that unsettles a nervous dog.

Max: event days change everything here. Five minutes on the showgrounds calendar saves you a tense arrival with nowhere to park and a spooked dog.

Getting there

The showgrounds sit at 202 Don Road, signposted off the B360, with on-site parking near the sporting facilities. By public transport, take the Lilydale line then bus 685 into Healesville and walk or take a short taxi to Don Road. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are quiet; weekend mornings around 8 to 10 are the social peak.

Close by with the dogs

Down the hill, the Lillydale Lake north-west off-leash area and the Lillydale Lake loop via Hull Road Wetlands cover the on-lead walking end of the valley. In town, Cherry Tree Cafe is a listed stop, and BIG4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park takes dogs if you are staying over.

More options are on the Victoria dog park guide and the Healesville destination page.